by Stein Weinstein

It's been two weeks. I have gone pretty much every day since I started (thank you OCD), and I still haven't figured anything out. Well, I have figured one thing out: When you tap, it's much better to tap the person's body, as opposed to tapping the mat. When you tap them on the body, they feel it and always let go. When you tap the mat in a crowded gym, they might not hear you and hold the arm triangle until you pass out.

I know this because it happened to me. And I am not kidding when I say this: It was the best part of the class. The sensation you get after waking up from having the blood cut off to your brain is actually very pleasant. Until the instructor starts yelling at you because you didn't tap properly and going out is dangerous.

So after ten or so classes, I am starting to get frustrated. Everything is so complicated, it's like I can't even start to learn. I don't know where to begin. I pretty much just spend the entire class straining as hard as I can and getting nowhere but choked or having a limb pushed past where it's supposed to go.

But my eleventh class goes differently. During the drill portion, I end up teamed with a purple belt (the belts are ranked from lowest to highest; white, blue, purple, brown, black) who is a natural teacher. He really helps me understand not only what we are doing, but why we do it. Then we start rolling, and instead of just plowing through me, he goes slow and instructs me step-by-step. Of course I am still struggle mightily, and get nowhere. Then he gives me the most important lesson I have ever learned injiu-jitsu.

Purple Belt "OK man, you need to relax. BJJ is about flow and technique, not about brute strength. You aren't getting anywhere not because your aren't trying hard enough, but rather because you are trying too hard."
Stein "You sound like Confucius."
Purple Belt "You play golf?"
Stein "Yeah, of course."
Purple Belt "When you take your backswing, do you do it as hard as possible?"
Stein "No, of course not."
Purple Belt "What about your follow through, is that as hard as you can swing?"
Stein "No."
Purple Belt "Exactly. That's because power comes not from power everywhere, but from power applied in the right places and at the right time. You are using power everywhere. Relax and let it come to you. By staying relaxed, you also conserve your energy."

So we got back to it. Amateur philosopher or not, he could really roll. He was so smooth and fluid and calm, but at the same time, very strong. It was like rolling with a python. He didn't snatch at you, but once he got something that was it; I couldn't get it back. I was starting to see his point. Then came the second lesson.

Purple Belt "OK, good. Now, the way you get better is by small steps. Every day, set a goal for yourself. For instance, try and make it 10 seconds without being submitted. Then 20. Then 30. Then a minute. Then two. Then make it a goal to have a dominant position for ten seconds. Then 20. Then a minute. Once you can do that, the submissions will take care of themselves. Everything flows together if you get out of its way and let it."
Stein "Do you smoke a lot of pot?"
Purple Belt "Haha. Yeah, jiu-jitsu and pot seem to go together. But you don't have to do it. You just have to relax."

Posted by Jeff at 12:24 AM

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